Day 20 - May 10

Howdy folks.  Coming at you from the Jackson County Libray in Walden, CO - 100 miles west of Fort Collins.  Dan Baker was a wonderful host in Fort Collins.  We had burgers and beer at the Trailhead Bar - your classic college dive that looks like there have been a few pictures spilled on the floor over the years.  Dan had planned ahead and spread out a mattress and pillow on his guest bed room floor.  However, his roommate had 2 house cats and I could tell immediately that my allergies were going to have a fit.  Dan swung into improv mode immediately.  No little roadbump like this is going to slow him down.  His van is totally tricked out for camping - all the seats were removed years ago and the back is setup for his accomodating him on his many adventures.  I slept great - temps in the 30s but my sleeping bag kept me comfy.  After breakfast I got on the road about 8:30am.  Dan had mapped me out a route to Hwy 14 West - which would take me all the way to Walden, CO - where I would meet back up with the TransAmerica Trail.  From Dan's house - it was 100 miles to Walden.  I knew I probably wouldn't make this in a day - but I hoped to get 70-80 miles.  Well, I didn't make it quite that far.  The day was uphill and with a strong head wind all day.  The pace was slow but steady.  Hwy 14 paralles the Poudre River all day.  The scenery is stunning.  (If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods - take a few hours and drive up Poudre Canyon - Hwy 14 West.  You will not regret it.) The uphill was not nearly as steep as Appalachia - just steady, relentless uphill.  Honestly, if it wasn't for the nasty wind the day would have been pleasant.  At a convenience store in Rustic, CO, I talked to some of the locals about camping.  They directed me to a National Forest campground another 7 miles up the road.  I rolled in to the campground at 4:00pm.  If I didn't stop here - it would be a long, long ways until the next campsite.  Pitching a tent solo in a gale force wind is interesting.  I screamed at the wind, fists shaking: "Bring it on!!! Bring it on!!! Give me all you got!!!!"  The wind didn't seem to change much - not sure if it heard me.  With the wind and the cool temps - not much to enjoy sitting around the campground - so lights were out at 8:00pm.  I slept like a baby.  I awoke at 4:00am and I heard a owl hooting in a nearby tree.  The wind had died down and I could hear the river in the trees about 100 yards from my campsite.  It was cold - probably in the 20s.  My water bottle had frozen.  But, I was finally getting to wear the clothes I had dragged all through Appalachia - and I was toasty warm in my tent.  I awoke at 7:00am to sun and blue sky  - and the hint of a breeze that foreshadowed what I would face later in the day. 

Pitching a tent solo in a gale force wind is interesting.